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Before selecting a piston, the desired compression height must be known. As shown, compression height is the distance between the centerline of the pin bore and the top of the piston. To determine the compression, three things about the engine must first be known: block height, connecting rod length and crankshaft stroke length.
Stroke length is twice the distance from the centerline of the crankshaft main bearing journals to the centerline of the connecting rod journals. It is also the distance the piston moves up and down in the cylinder.
Stock Chevrolet V-8 Bore & Stroke
Displacement Cubic Inches
Liters
Bore (inches)
Stroke (inches)
302
4.9
4.000
3.000
305
5.0
3.740
3.480
327
5.4
4.000
3.250
350
5.7
4.000
3.480
350(LT5)
5.7
3.898
3.661
350(LS1)
5.7
3.898
3.622
364(LQ4)
6.0
4.000
3.622
383
6.3
4.000
3.800
400
6.6
4.125
3.750
396
6.5
4.094
3.766
402
6.6
4.125
3.766
427
7.0
4.250
3.766
454
7.4
4.250
4.000
502
8.2
4.470
4.000
Stock Ford V-8 Bore & Stroke
Displacement Cubic Inches
Liters
Bore (inches)
Stroke (inches)
289
4.7
4.000
2.870
302
5.0
4.000
3.000
302(Boss)
5.0
4.000
3.000
302(SVO)
5.0
4.000
3.000
351 W ('69-'70)
5.8
4.000
3.500
351 W ('71-'96)
5.8
4.000
3.500
351 (SVO 9.2)
5.8
4.000
3.500
351C (Boss)
5.8
4.000
3.500
351M
5.8
4.000
3.590
429 STD ('68-'70)
7.0
4.360
6.6050
429 STD ('70 1/2-'71)
7.0
4.360
3.590
429 CJ/SCJ ('72-'73)
7.0
4.360
3.590
429 Boss (S)
7.0
4.360
3.590
429 Boss (T)
7.0
4.360
3.590
460
7.5
4.360
3.850
281 (modular)
4.6
3.543
5.9331
331 (modular)
5.4
3.552
4.165
How Compression Height Is Calculated:
Compression height = block height - rod length - (0.5 X stroke)
Example:
block height = 11.685
rod length = 7.500
stroke = 5.500
Compression height = block height - rod length - (0.5 X stroke)
Compression height = 11.685 - 7.500 - (0.5 X 5.500)
